1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to information processing systems, information processors, image forming apparatuses, and information processing methods, and more particularly to an information processing system, an information processor, an image forming apparatus, and an information processing method that set up a license for an application to be executed in an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In these years, in some image forming apparatuses, mainly of those called multi-function machines, it is possible to develop and install a new application after their shipment. (See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-269619.) The mode of usage of such an application is so diversified that some users may wish to use the application only for a predetermined period of time while others may wish to use only a particular one or more of all its functions. If it is possible to set up a license for the application on the image forming apparatus in accordance with the mode of usage of each user, this not only is convenient for users but also allows the seller of the application to expect to have more business chances.
However, there is a problem in that it is a lot of trouble to do such a setup on each image forming apparatus in a user environment where multiple image forming apparatuses are used. This is believed to be a problem not only for image forming apparatuses but common to apparatuses capable of executing an application.